Father charged in Elgin accident involving Metra train

A father of two was charged with four misdemeanors Sunday after his car missed a bend in the road, collided with a guard rail and was struck by a Metra train Saturday night, severely injuring his 14-month-old daughter, according to Elgin police.

Pedro Bustamante, 20, of the 300 block of Ann Street in South Elgin, was charged with illegal consumption of alcohol, driving too fast for conditions and without a valid driver's license, and operating an uninsured car that caused bodily harm, authorities said.

Bustamante and his 5-year-old son were treated and released from Provena St. Joseph Hospital in Elgin, said Elgin Police Cmdr. Glenn Theriault. Bustamante's pregnant wife, 19, is being held for observation, Theriault said. The couple's 2-year-old daughter was airlifted Saturday to Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge where her condition has stabilized, Theriault said.

The grade-level incident happened at Ramond Street, south and east of the National Street station. The train demolished the front of the car, authorities said.

"The motor was on the roadway, the transmission and parts were all over the place," said Elgin Fire Department Battalion Chief Bryan McMahan said. "All four were out of the vehicle, waiting in a passerby's vehicle."

A second car coming the opposite way ran into the first car that was damaged, McMahan said. It's unclear whether the car tried to skirt the train gates or whether they were malfunctioning.

Train 2721, which hit the car, was delayed by about 90 minutes because of the accident, Metra Spokesman Tom Miller said. Inbound train 2724 from Elgin toward Chicago was canceled because of the accident, according to the agency.